Until now, tidal energy generation has been costly and difficult to engineer. The new MaxBLADE project in Scotland is set to change that, writes Conchúr Ó Brádaigh, professor of engineering at the University of Edinburgh Orbital Marine Power The potential of tidal energy is huge. Seventy per cent of the earth’s surface is ocean and sea and, if we could harness that energy, it would provide 150 per cent of the world’s energy needs. A recent report found that tidal stream energy could provide more than 6GW of energy to the UK grid by 2050. This may be small compared to the potential of offshore wind but, in contrast to wave, solar and wind, tidal energy is entirely predictable, so could provide a significant baseline power source for our future electricity grid. It also has the potential to contribute over £40bn Gross Value Added (GVA) to the UK economy, including tens of thousands of new jobs, primarily in neglected coastal communities. The UK government has been doing its part: the Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 4 will support the deployment of over 40MW of tidal stream energy from 2025-27. A similar pathway has allowed offshore wind to achieve […]
Click here to view original web page at www.theengineer.co.uk
